Glossary

Active Set: Validators that are actively participating in consensus and earning rewards.

Airdrops: Extra rewards given to users via specific validators, separate from standard staking rewards.

Arbitrage: The practice of exploiting price differences between markets by buying low in one and selling high in another.

Blockchain: A distributed ledger technology that records transactions across many computers in a way that ensures the data cannot be altered retroactively.

Blocks: Data structures within a blockchain, containing a set of transactions that have been verified and signed by validators.

Bonded Validator: A validator that is currently part of the active set and participating in consensus, thus earning rewards.

Bonding: The act of delegating tokens to a validator to earn staking rewards.

Burn: The process of permanently removing tokens from circulation, often used to reduce supply.

Burn Auction: An event where participants bid using tokens to gain certain assets or privileges, with the tokens used in winning bids being burned.

Commission: The portion of staking rewards retained by a validator before distributing the remainder to delegators.

Community Pool: A fund used for community-driven projects, accessible through governance proposals.

Consensus: The method by which validators agree on the validity of transactions and the state of the blockchain. Validators are rewarded for their participation.

Cosmos-SDK: The development framework used to build the blockchain, providing various modules and tools.

Credential Schema: A structured format that defines the data model and validation rules for a verifiable credential.

Credential Definition: A specific instance of a credential schema issued by an issuer, containing specific data.

dApp: Decentralized application built on a blockchain network.

DID (Decentralized Identifier): A globally unique identifier that enables verifiable, self-sovereign digital identities. DIDs are created and managed by individuals, independent of central authorities.

DID Method: A specific standard or specification used to create and manage DIDs.

Delegator: A user who delegates or bonds their tokens to a validator to earn rewards.

Devnet: A development network used for testing new features or products without impacting the main network.

Digital Signature: A cryptographic method used to verify the authenticity and integrity of digital messages or documents. Empe Verifiable Data Wallet: A digital wallet used within the Empeiria ecosystem to store, manage, and present DIDs and VCs.

Full Node: A node that validates transactions and maintains a copy of the entire blockchain, typically operated by validators.

Gas Fees: Transaction fees paid to validators to process transactions and prevent spam on the network.

Governance: The process through which users and validators propose, vote on, and implement changes to the protocol.

IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication): A protocol that allows different blockchains to communicate and interact with each other.

Identity Wallet: A digital wallet used to store, manage, and present decentralized identifiers (DIDs) and verifiable credentials.

Inactive Set: Validators that are not currently participating in consensus and thus not earning rewards.

Issuer: An entity that creates and issues verifiable credentials.

Jailed: The status of validators that are temporarily excluded from the active set due to misbehavior.

Node: A computer participating in the network by maintaining a copy of the blockchain and validating transactions.

Private Key: A secret cryptographic key used to sign transactions and access sensitive information.

Proof Presentation: The act of a holder presenting verifiable credentials to a verifier for validation.

Proof Request: A request from a verifier to a holder to present specific verifiable credentials for validation.

Public Key: A cryptographic key that can be shared publicly to verify signatures made with the corresponding private key.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI): A system for the creation, management, and distribution of digital certificates and keys.

Revocation: The process of invalidating a verifiable credential, rendering it no longer valid. Selective Disclosure: The ability for a holder to present only specific claims within a verifiable credential during verification, depending on the verifier's requirements.

Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI): A model of digital identity where individuals fully own and control their personal data without relying on a central authority.

Service Endpoint: A URL or other identifier in a DID document that provides access to services related to the DID.

Slashing: The penalty for validators that act against the network's rules, resulting in a loss of a portion of their staked tokens.

Staking: The process of delegating tokens to a validator to earn rewards and support the network's security and operations.

Testnet: A network used for testing new features, applications, and protocols before they are deployed on the main network.

Validator: An entity responsible for verifying transactions, maintaining the blockchain, and participating in consensus.

Verifiable Credentials (VCs): Tamper-proof digital documents issued by an issuer, which can be cryptographically verified to prove certain attributes about the holder.

Verifier: An entity that receives and checks the validity of verifiable credentials.

Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP): A cryptographic technique that allows one party to prove the truth of a statement without revealing any additional information.